The maternity ward at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper is seeing a baby boom.
The Casper Star-Tribune reported this week that 123 babies were born in July -- the most in a single month in the last 27 years. Nurses said the influx of energy jobs has been drawing young families to the area.
Mayor Kenyne Schlager is happy to have them, especially after many young people had been moving away in recent years.
Schlager says there isn’t much the city council can do to increase day care or school capacity, but she wants to do everything she can to keep these young families around.
“As a team player in the community, we can at least have a voice that helps draw any issues to light for other agencies or other individuals to help make sure that we have everything we need here in our community.”
Schlager, who is 35, says Casper also has a bigger job market and more options for shopping and entertainment, these days.
(Correction: This post incorrectly stated that there had been more babies born in Casper this year than last year. Actually, more babies were born in July than any month in the last 27 years.)